How do you guys
- Thread starter TRE
- Start date
Using the right drill fixture (block or Goat boy's), the car run's fast and true down the track. Unable to tell by the naked eye looking at the hole or with an axle in. I know there's specific alignment tools to gauge it but I don't use them. I trust Goat Boy racing drill fixture to drill perfect every time.
Chime in with what you are using, the process, and why you asked the question.
Chime in with what you are using, the process, and why you asked the question.
From what I've been told (havent seen it b/c my drill jobs arent perfect) the rear wheels will move out towards the head of the axle when rolling forwards and backwards with weight on the rear. If they come out to the axle half way down a tuning board, little sluggish, then your drill job isn't perfect.
i have both tools as well..i know you do the roll test to see if the wheels migrate out..i guess what i am saying is if the wheels migrate out at the same time pretty quick and the car rolls straight is that a perfect job.if you wanna catch the guys at the top everything gota been done pretty good..drill job is where is starts
To catch the guys at the top (QT, GS1, JBD, E3 PWD, etc...) your car not only has to be pretty good...,it has to be perfect in every sense. Starting with alignment, wheels and prep, axles and prep, lube, tuning, weight on each wheel, covering holes, fenders. Most of all, a lot of luck.
Watching your wheels migrate out at the same time means you have great alignment. Build, tune, race, repeat...
Watching your wheels migrate out at the same time means you have great alignment. Build, tune, race, repeat...
TRE said:
I know the Goatboy tool uses a nice drill bushing to guide the bit, but I'm thinking you still need to use a stiff bit (i.e.: carbide) so the bit doesn't wander and try to follow the grain? I'm hoping someone that's using the tool might chime in on this.
Here is my opinion, for what ever its worth. When I first started out trying to drill perfect axle holes. I used practice blocks of wood. I drilled the front DFW wheel hole, then marked off 5 to 10 lines 3/16 apart in the back. Then drilled the cant holes on the first line, for a try. Installed the known perfect set of wheels and axles. Taped a weight on the top back, a tungsten round works well. Then do the slow roll on the turning board , backwards and forwards. The wheels should pop out to the axle head almost right away, both directions. If they don't , either your axles and wheels are a problem or your drill job is not perfect. Perfect you technique and your tooling and you can nail it every time !!! Better than building 5 or 10 cars , only to find out each time the builds won't cut the mustard in league racing. Then when you can repeat it over and over again, you have a good set-up. Now you can route out the weight pockets and then drill your axle holes after the wood has been stressed from routing and milling the wood. Then do another slow roll test before shaping your body and painting. This saves a lot of time when your learning this hobby. Also saves a lot of stress and saves your arm from damage , throwing the blocks of wood across the room. As well as dry wall damage
Good luck and happy building
Following my drill press setup, I test by drilling flat axle holes. This is a stiffer test than canted axles. I run the test block forwards, backwards and upside down fwd/back to check for wheel migration away from the body and the block to run straight. Perfect would be ending up within maybe a 1" off course at the end of a 4' test run. I have never gotten to perfect, but I keep trying.
bracketracer said:
I've used Goatboy's new drill fixture. A few things that I did while using it was to first make lines on the top of your body where your axles will be. Make sure your body fits snug in the jig, if its too large lightly sand it until it fits snug. If the body is loose in the jig put some masking tape on each side so the body fits snug. Put your body in the jig bottom side down, line up the scribe marks on the jig with your lines on the body then clamp it to the jig. I used some large spring clamps from Harbor Freight. Use a carbide bit in a hand drill or by hand. Then test on your tuning board.
I did some practice drills on some old blocks first to get a feel for how the jig works.
Hope this helps!
After getting the body drilled, insert some properly sized drill blanks into the body, I use .091" blanks. You can slow roll the car with these blanks. But to get a good idea if the drill is "square" set the car down on a sheet of graph paper and square the body to the graph lines. Now view the "axles" to make sure they are straight and inline with the graph paper lines. Be sure to view the car straight from the top or else the axles may appear skewed or out of square. No graph paper? Google it and print yourself a sheet or two.
I insert tooth picks into the drilled axle holes and line the block with the tooth picks inserted on a 1/8th scale graph paper. If the tooth pick pointed ends do not align on the same line you 'd better drill again. Practice makes perfect. Carbide drill bit and a good set of test wheels and axles are a must.
Make sure your tuning board is not warped test it with a digital level and adjust with shims until a cue ball rolls straight down the middle before you start rolling your drill test cars on your tuning board. Good luck.
Maglev
Make sure your tuning board is not warped test it with a digital level and adjust with shims until a cue ball rolls straight down the middle before you start rolling your drill test cars on your tuning board. Good luck.
Maglev
GravityX said:
oh i like the graph paper idea! I use a mini square with drill bits!
Now i did a write up once over on DerbyTalk about how to (very short version) remove your front wheels, mount the front of the car on a slide (small nail) that you can move back and forth on your straight edge. When you back the car up will tell your alot because it compounds any differences! If any wants more info ping me and i'll get it! This phone typing right now is for the birds!
Guys tell me if you can see [ .3 ] , that's [ 3/10 's ] of a degree on graph paper. I have done controlled drilling at [ .1 , .2 , .3 of a degree ] . And starting getting toe-in at 3/10's of a degree on a test car. I think I could see toe-in or toe-out at closer to [ 1 ] degree on graph paper. So just saying and my opinion is graph paper is not very accurate for checking your drill job !! Not real track conditions in my book...... SPIRIT.....
I dont think GX was talking about using the graph paper for checking the degree cant. I think he was just using it to check and see if his axle holes are square to eachother. I could be wrong on my reading of GX's comment so correct me if I'm wrong.
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